The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1506671
28 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Not bad for an Asheville, N.C., pros- pect with only one other Power Five of- fer besides NC State coming out of high school. Underappreciated Recruit The fact that White flew under the ra- dar may be, in hindsight, a bit of a mys- tery. During a gathering in Raleigh in the winter of 2019, one of the assistant coaches at White's Christ School, for- mer NFL quarterback and first-round draft pick Heath Shuler, was there with his son, former Appalachian State quar- terback Navy Shuler, who is now a walk- on at his father's alma mater, Tennessee. The elder Shuler tried to get in the ear of the recruiting services in attendance to spread the word about White, who during the prior fall had over 1,000 yards receiving for Christ School and picked off 3 passes. In addition to the endorsement of a former NFL player, White, who stands 6-foot tall, had proven athleticism. As a sophomore, he won the first of what would be three consecutive state track and field titles in the 110-meter hurdles. "My only two Power Five offers were actually NC State and Wake Forest," White recalled. "There were not that many eyes on me growing up in western North Carolina. Not many people come out of there to go to a lot of Power Five schools." The lack of offers did not induce any doubt in White. From his perspective, his mission was to prove to the schools that bypassed him that he belonged at the highest level of college football. "I wanted to say that I am supposed to be here, and this is my stage," White noted. The rise from unheralded recruit to one of the top cornerbacks in the coun- try was not all smooth sailing. By his own admission, White labored through the transition to the college game dur- ing that freshman year, not fully under- standing what to expect. White was also having to adapt to one of the more creative defenses in the ACC. Gibson has been heralded for his unique scheme that features three de- fensive linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs. What White noted is something that perhaps casual ob- servers may not fully recognize: Gib- son's defense can put a lot of pressure on cornerbacks. "It's a gap scheme," White explained. "It's built for the D-line and lineback- ers. At the corner, you're on the island pretty much the majority of the whole game, so that helps me and [fifth-year redshirt junior cornerback] Shyheim [Battle] thrive. "The ball is coming to us, so we've got to make a play." Making plays is what White has done. He had 2 interceptions against Texas Tech last season, returning one 84 yards for a touchdown. For good measure, he added a sack in that game and was named the Walter Camp National De- fensive Player of the Week. "He catches the ball well, which a lot of DBs don't," NC State head coach Dave Doeren noted. "And as you saw, he can run when he gets his hands on it." Gibson was even more emphatic when reflecting on White earlier this summer. "I expect him not only to be the best corner in the league, but in the country," Gibson said. Potential Big Future White never seriously contemplated turning pro after last fall, primarily be- cause he needed hip surgery after the season. His ambition this year is to prove that 2022 was no fluke and to stay fully healthy. Last year was White's first full season as a starter, and he under- stands that an encore is necessary for NC State Football Schedule Date Opponent Time (TV) Aug. 31 at Connecticut 7:30 p.m. (CBSSN) Sept. 9 NOTRE DAME Noon (ABC) Sept. 16 VMI 2 p.m. (CW Network) Sept. 22 at Virginia 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) Sept. 29 LOUISVILLE 7 p.m. (ESPN) Oct. 7 MARSHALL TBA Oct. 14 at Duke TBA Oct. 28 CLEMSON TBA Nov. 4 MIAMI TBA Nov. 11 at Wake Forest TBA Nov. 18 at Virginia Tech TBA Nov. 25 NORTH CAROLINA TBA White enjoyed a breakthrough season with the Pack in 2022, including a performance against Texas Tech in which he intercepted 2 passes and returned one of those picks 84 yards for a touchdown. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE ATHLETICS